Screenshots: TikTok
No, Jimmy Kimmel‘s sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez hasn’t posted a heartfelt tribute to his boss on social media. Nor has Kimmel himself recorded any videos addressing his ABC suspension.
At least a dozen TikTok videos have surfaced in recent days featuring the two Jimmy Kimmel Live! stars, all of them fakes.
In one clip, Rodriguez declares he’ll always stand by Kimmel, describing how the host elevated him from security guard to sidekick after learning he was working three jobs just to make ends meet.
In another, Kimmel appears to tell viewers, “Don’t get all bummed out about the news of my show getting canceled on ABC just yet. Trust me, I’m not throwing in the towel.” He adds, “Just two months ago I was feeling bad about Stephen being fired; I never thought the same fate would hit me too. Now it’s Stephen’s turn to comfort me.”
Neither Kimmel nor Rodriguez have commented publicly since ABC indefinitely suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! last Wednesday.
The AI videos, all them technically rudimentary, have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times. They’re not limited to Kimmel and Rodriguez, either. An AI clip of fellow late-night host Jimmy Fallon reacting to Kimmel’s suspension has also been circulating. (The actual Fallon shared his reaction on The Tonight Show Thursday night.)
Deepfakes and AI-manipulated content have become a regular feature on social media, but their growing application to late-night television figures highlights how easily such fabrications can blend into feeds where hosts are already widely quoted and shared.
As we’ve previously reported, an AI clip purporting to show Jon Stewart commenting on U.S.-India relations was widely shared last month.
The real Kimmel is said to be deep in talks with ABC about his show’s future, with both sides hoping to find a path to returning Jimmy Kimmel Live! to the air.